Seat frame for use with an extracorporeal high intensity focus ultrasonic wave therapeutic apparatus

ABSTRACT

the present invention provides a seat frame for use with an extracorporeal HIFU therapeutic apparatus, in which the HIFU therapeutic apparatus includes a HIFU source for providing HIFU; a carrying device for patient and a displacement system for causing the spatial movement of the carrying device for patient with respect to the HIFU source, a containing means for receiving the transmission medium in front of an emiting surface of the HIFU source, said containing means for the transmission medium is an open-type water tank, wherein said seat frame includes a cushion which may be submerged in said open-type water tank, in said cushion is provided an arrangement through which the power ultrasonic wave may pass, said seat frame further includes a cushion supporting arrangement for supporting said cushion on said carrying device for patient.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a means for use with a medicalapparatus, especially to a seat frame which is mounted for alower-mounted ultrasonic wave source of a high intensity focusultrasonic wave (HIFU) therapeutic apparatus for treating thepathological tissues in the body parts like the pelvic cavity.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

At present, the existing extracorporeal HIFU therapeutic apparatusgenerally includes the following means: a HIFU source and a drivingcircuit thereof for providing the HIFU; a locating system for searchingthe object to be treated and moving it to the focal point of theultrasound transducer, which includes a medical imaging system (such asthe B-Mode Ultrasonoscope), a carrying device for carrying the patientsuch as a bed surface, and a displacement system for causing the spatialmovement of the carrying device with respect to the ultrasonic wavesource; a high intensity ultrasonic wave (HIU) transmitter and aprocessing system for transmission medium. Since the ultrasonic waveadapted to the HIFU must be transmitted into the patient body through aspecial transmission medium (such as deaerated water), a containingmeans for receiving the transmission medium (such as a water tank etc.)in front of a emitting surface of a HIFU source and means for filling,discharging and processing the transmission medium are necessary.

The high intensity ultrasonic wave (HIU) for therapy can not passthrough some substance such as bones and air. All the existingextracorporeal HIFU therapeutic apparatus use the bed surface as acarrying device for patient and the patient is in a pronation pose whenbeing treated. However, it is difficult for the HIU to reach an objectto be treated from the front or the back of the patient due to theinfluence of the pelvic cavity on the diseased tissue in the rectum,prostate and unerine neck and so on, so that the diseased tissues inthose parts can not be treated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioneddisadvantages by providing a seat frame for use with an extracorporealHIFU therapeutic apparatus, by which the patient can be in a sittingpose when being treated so that the the treatment range of the HIFU canbe extended.

In order to fulfill the above object, the present invention provides aseat frame for use with an extracorporeal HIFU therapeutic apparatus,wherein the HIFU therapeutic apparatus includes a HIFU source forproviding HIFU; a carrying device for carrying the patient and adisplacement system for causing the spatial movement of the carryingdevice for patient with respect to the HIFU source. A containing meansfor receiving the transmission medium is provided in front of anemitting surface of the HIFU source, said containing means for thetransmission medium is an open-type water tank, and said seat frameincludes a cushion which may be submerged in said open-type water tank.In the center of said cushion is provided an arrangement through whichthe power ultrasonic wave may passes, and the seat frame furtherincludes a cushion supporting arrangement for supporting said cushion onsaid carrying device.

The seat frame of the present invention can further includes thefollowing features: said arrangement through which the power ultrasonicwave can pass is a center hole or a latex membrane, and said cushion ismade of a softer and resilient material such as a foam plastic.

Said cushion supporting arrangement includes a frame, said cushion isplaced on a base plate made of a rigid material, the shape of said baseplate corresponds to that of said cushion, and a hole corresponding tosaid arrangement of the cushion through which the ultrasonic wave canpass is formed in said base plate, said cushion supporting arrangemetfurther includes bearing plates provided on both sides of said cushionrespectively, said bearing plate has one end connected to the base platefor cushion and the other end connected to said frame, so that thecushion supporting arrangement supports said cushion. One end of saidbearing plate is connected to said base plate by a fastener, and theother end can also be connected to said frame by a fasterner.

Further, said cushion supporting arrangement includes a backrest and anarmrest connected to said frame.

In use, said seat frame is mounted above said open-type water tank whichis above the lower-mounted HIFU source. When said water tank is full ofdeaerated water, the water level will exceed the cushion of said seatframe, that is, said cushion will be submerged in the water. The patientsits on the seat frame when being treated and the perineum skinsufficiently contact the deaerated water. The ultrasonic wave will passthrough said arrangement through which the power ultrasonic wave maypass and through the perineum, and then enter into the body so as toreach the parts like the rectum, prostate and unerine neck and so on sothat the the pathological tissues in the body parts like pelvic cavitycan be treated externally. Thus, the HIFU therapeutic apparatus allowsthe patient being treated in a sitting pose so as to treat the rectalcancer in situ, Mile's partial relapse of rectal cancer, prostaticcancer, cervical carcinoma, carcinoma of vagina and prostatichyperplasia and so on, which extends the treatment range of the HIFU.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described in detail by the preferredembodiments with reference to the following drawings, wherein,

FIG. 1 and 2 are two perspective views of one embodiment of the seatframe according to the presnt invention seen in different directions;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the embodiment of the seat frame shown inFIG. 1 when being mounted on a HIFU therapeutic apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the embodiment of the seat frameshown in FIG. 1.

THE BEST MODE OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a seat frame 8 for use with an extracorporeal HIFUtherapeutic apparatus. The HIFU therapeutic apparatus includes a HIFUsource 6 for providing HWFU; a carrying device 7 for carrying thepatient and a displacement system (not shown) for causing the spatialmovement of the carrying device 7 with respect to the HIFU source 6, acontaining means for receiving the transmission medium in front of anemitting surface of the HIFU source 6 (In this embodiment, saidcontaining means for the transmission medium is an open-type water tank5.), wherein said seat frame includes a cushion 3 which may be submergedin said open-type water tank 5, in the center of said cushion 3 isprovided an arrangement through which the power ultrasonic wave maypass, said seat frame further includes a cushion supporting arrangement18 for supporting said cushion 3 on said carrying device 7.

In the embodiment, said arrangement through which the power ultrasonicwave is a center hole 4, or may be an arrangement like a latex membranethrough which the power ultrasonic wave can pass.

Said cushion 3 is made of a softer and resilient material such as foamplastic.

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, said cushion supporting arrangemet 18 includes aframe 10, said cushion 3 is placed on a base plate 12 made of an rigidmaterial, the shape of said base plate 12 corresponds to that of saidcushion 3, and a hole 13 corresponding to said arrangement of thecushion 3 through which the ultrasonic wave can pass (in this embodimet,such arrangement is the center hole 4) is formed in said base plate 12,said cushion supporting arrangemet 18 further includes bearing plates 11provided on both sides of said cushion 3 respectively. Said bearingplate 11 has one end connected to the base plate 12 for cushion and theother end connected to said frame 10, so that the base plate 12 supportssaid cushion on said cushion supporting arrangemet 18.

One end of said bearing plate 1 1 is connected to said base plate 12 bya fastener or welding. Alternatively, the bearing plate 11 is formedintegrally with the base plate. The other end of said bearing plate 11is conneted to said frame 10 by a fasterner or welding, too.

Further, said cushion supporting arrangemet 18 includes a base 9 forsupporting the whole arrangements of the seat frame, said frame 10 isfixedly attached to said base 9, wherein the base 9 is a rigid annularring.

In addition, said cushion supporting arrangemet 18 includes a backrest 1and an armrest 2 connected to said frame 10.

Said seat frame 8 and said carrying device 7 for patient share a set ofdisplacement system.

In use, said seat frame 8 is mounted above said open-type water tank 5which is above the lower-mounted HIFU source 6, said cushion supportingarrangemet 18 of said seat frame 8 is placed on said carrying device 7for patient, said cushion 3 is supported on the said carrying device 7for patient, so that said seat frame 8 and said carrying device 7 forpatient share a set of displacement system, which can make said seatframe move with respect to the ultrasonic wave source 6 so as to adjustit to a desirable therapy poistion, as shown in the FIG. 3. When saidwater tank 5 is full of deaerated water, the water level will exceedsaid cushion 3 of said seat frame 8, that is, said cushion 3 issubmerged in the open-type water tank 5. When being treated, the patientsits on the cushion 3 in sitting pose and make the pudendal skinsufficiently contact the deaerated water, the ultrasonic wave will passthrough said center hole 4 of said cushion 3 and the perineum, and thenenter into the body so as to reach the parts like the rectum, prostateand unerine neck and so on so that the the pathological tissues in thebody parts like pelvic cavity can be treated by HIFU. Thus, the HIFUtherapeutic apparatus allows the patient being treated in a sitting poseso as to treat the rectal cancer in situ, Mile's partial relapse ofrectal cancer, prostatic cancer, cervical carcinoma, carcinoma of vaginaand prostatic hyperplasia and so on, which extends the treatment rangeof the HIFU.

FIG. 3 shows the seat frame 8 mounted on a HIFU therapeutic apparatus.

Specifically, on the basis of the HIFU therapeutic apparatus which usesa bed surface, an upper-mounted ultrasonic wave source and alower-mounted ultrasonic wave source, the carrying device for patientcan be made to be detachable. If it is necessary for the patient to betreated in a sitting pose, the middle portion of the carrying device isdetached so as to expose the water tank 5 of the lower-mountedultrasonic wave source 6 and the seat frame 8 of the present inventionis mounted. The seat frame 8 and said carrying device 7 for patientshare a set of displacement system so that the change between the twodifferent therapy poses is very convenient.

In addition, for the HIFU therapeutic apparatus with a lower-mountedultrasonic wave source 6 and an open-type water tank 5, if it isnecessary for the patient to be treated in a sitting pose, what to do isto place the seat frame on the carrying device 7 for patient and toplace the cushion 3 in the water tank 5.

In summary, with the seat frame, the HIFU therapeutic apparatus cantreat the rectal cancer in situ, Mile's partial relapse of rectalcancer, prostatic cancer, cervical carcinoma, carcinoma of vagina andprostatic hyperplasia and so on, which extends the treatment range ofthe HIFU. With the present inveion, the patient can be in a sitting posewhen being treated so that the the treatment range of the HIFU can beextended.

1. A seat frame for use with an extracorporeal HIFU therapeuticapparatus, in which the HIFU therapeutic apparatus includes a HIFUsource for providing HIFU; a carrying device for carrying the patientand a displacement system for causing the spatial movement of thecarrying device for patient with respect to the HIFU source, containerfor receiving the transmission medium in front of an emitting surface ofthe HIFU source, in which said container for the transmission medium isan open-type water tank, wherein said seat frame includes a cushionwhich may be submerged in said open-type water tank, in the center ofsaid cushion is provided an arrangement through which the powerultrasonic wave may pass, said seat frame further including a cushionsupporting arrangement (18) for supporting said cushion on said carryingdevice for said patient.
 2. A seat frame for use with an extracorporealHIFU therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidarrangement through which the power ultrasonic wave can pass is a centerhole.
 3. A seat frame for use with an extracorporeal HIFU therapeuticapparatus according to claim 1, wherein said arrangement through whichthe power ultrasonic wave can pass is a latex membrane.
 4. A seat framefor use with an extracorporeal HIFU therapeutic apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein said cushion is made of a soft and resilient material.5. A seat frame for use with an extracorporeal HIFU therapeuticapparatus according to claim 4, wherein said cushion is made of a foamplastic.
 6. A seat frame for use with an extracorporeal HIFU therapeuticapparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cushion supportingarrangement includes a frame, said cushion is placed on a base platemade of a rigid material, the shape of said base plate corresponds tothat of said cushion, and a hole corresponding to said arrangement ofthe cushion through which the ultrasonic wave can pass is formed in saidcushion base plate, said cushion supporting arrangement further includesbearing plates provided on both sides of said cushion respectively, saidbearing plate has one end connected to the cushion base plate and theother end connected to said frame, so that the base plate supports saidcushion on said cushion supporting arrangement.
 7. A seat frame for usewith an extracorporeal HIFU therapeutic apparatus according to claim 6,wherein one end of said bearing plate connected to said base plate by afastener and the other of said bearing plate is connected to said frameby a fastener.
 8. A seat frame for use with an extracorporeal HIFUtherapeutic apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said cushionsupporting arrangement includes a base for supporting the wholearrangements of the seat frame, said frame is fixedly attached to saidbase.
 9. A seat frame for use with an extracorporeal HIFU therapeuticapparatus according to claim 8, wherein the base is a rigid annularring.
 10. A seat frame for use with an extracorporeal HIFU therapeuticapparatus according to claim 6, wherein said cushion supportingarrangement includes a backrest and an armrest connected to said frame.